Samuel Clottey Calls for Permanent Structure to Rebuild Black Stars
Samuel Clottey, Founder and CEO of Sam Creatives, has called for a permanent football structure around Ghana’s Black Stars, arguing that the national team needs to move beyond short-term solutions and develop a sustainable system for long-term success.
Clottey wants long-term Black Stars structure
Clottey’s comments come after Ghana’s difficult opening to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign. The Black Stars lost 2-0 to Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké before suffering a 4-2 defeat to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Ghana initially took a 2-0 lead against The Gambia through Ernest Nuamah and Felix Afena-Gyan before the visitors mounted a comeback. The result left Ghana without a point from its opening two Group C matches. [oai_citation:0‡Ghana News Agency](https://gna.org.gh/2026/09/black-stars-defeat-against-gambia-sparks-calls-for-changes-in-technical-team/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
Call for continuity beyond coaching changes
According to Clottey, Ghana’s response should go beyond simply changing coaches. He is calling for a long-term technical structure built around a clear football philosophy, proper scouting and a pathway connecting youth development to the senior national team.
“We need to stop starting all over again whenever there is a change of coach. There must be a permanent structure for the Black Stars, with a clear football philosophy and a plan that can be followed over a number of years,” Clottey said.
Learning from Ghana’s football generation
Clottey pointed to former Black Stars players including Michael Essien, Stephen Appiah, Asamoah Gyan and Tony Yeboah as examples of the quality Ghana has produced.
He believes Ghana needs a system capable of consistently identifying and developing players who can reach comparable levels.
“We have produced players like Essien, Appiah, Gyan and Yeboah. The question now is how we create the environment to consistently produce players of that quality,” he said.
Stronger scouting and youth pathway
Clottey has called for Ghana to strengthen its scouting network so that players in the Ghana Premier League and those developing abroad can be monitored throughout the year.
He also wants stronger links between the youth national teams and the Black Stars, allowing promising players to be tracked as they progress through the various national-team levels.
Investment in grassroots football, coaching education and player development, he said, should also form part of a broader long-term plan.
Looking beyond the latest results
Clottey believes Ghana’s recent results should be considered as part of a wider discussion about the national team’s structure. The Black Stars surrendered a two-goal advantage against The Gambia before losing 4-2. oai_citation:1‡Confédération Africaine de Football
He argues that responsibility should not rest entirely on the head coach, saying the broader football structure around the national team must also be strong.
“The coach is important, but the coach alone cannot build the future of Ghana football. The structure around the team must also be strong,” he said.
Focus on sustainable development
Clottey believes Ghana’s immediate priority is to recover in the remaining AFCON qualifiers while using the current situation to establish a sustainable system for the future.
For him, the objective should extend beyond qualification for one tournament and focus on developing a Black Stars team capable of competing consistently across generations.
“Ghana cannot continue rebuilding the Black Stars from scratch every few years. We need a permanent structure and a proper pathway to build a solid team for the future,” Clottey said.
